


for you, the sun will be shining

by overflow



Category: Call Me By Your Name (2017) RPF
Genre: Gen, M/M, armie is a golden retriever, everything is cute and happy, i cannot believe i fucking wrote this, luca is their owner, my reparations for all the angst ive forced upon you all, timmy is a kitten
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-10-19 18:13:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17606399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/overflow/pseuds/overflow
Summary: Luca arrives home with a tiny, furry thing that Armie has never seen before.





	1. Chapter 1

Luca arrives home with a tiny, furry thing that Armie has never seen before.He holds it in his arms like a baby, gentle and firm, keeping it away from Armie.When Armie jumps up on him to say hello and see whatever he’s holding, Luca says “no, down.”  
  
This is odd.When Luca comes home, Armie’s excitement is usually equally matched by Luca’s.Well, almost equally matched. It’s hard for a human to keep up with the perpetual happiness of two year old golden retriever.  
  
Luca walks to the couch, Armie trotting behind him, and sits with the tiny thing on its lap.Armie sits on the floor and rests his chin on Luca’s knee, looking for attention and a better view of whatever this new thing is.It’s small, a little wobbly on its feet, and wide-eyed with curly fur and pointy ears.Armie loves it on sight.  
  
Hesitantly, he noses it a bit.His nose is almost as big as this things entire torso.This thing?Dog?Puppy?A puppy but weird?Yes, that’s it.  
  
Weird-puppy flinches back a bit.Armie wags his tail to let him know that he means no harm.  
  
“Be gentle,” Luca says.  
  
Duh.He’s already being gentle.Again, he presses his nose against weird-puppy and takes a sniff.Weird-puppy goes totally still.He smells like different places and other weird-puppies. It’s strange, and Armie doesn’t like it.He doesn’t like all these things masking his scent.  
  
Weird-puppy kind of slides to a seated position, leaning against Luca’s stomach.He looks away from Armie.  
  
Luca looks down at him.“Timothée,” he says.  
  
So that’s his name.Armie understands that much.He was bought in America, so he gets an American name.Timothée must have been bought in France, by the sound of it.  
  
“Timothée,” Luca repeats, then shakes his head.“Tee-mo.Timo.” He pets weird-puppy’s head, gently stroking back and forth.“How do you feel about that?You like it?”  
  
Timo stares.  
  
“Okay.Timo it is, then.Short for Timothée.”  
  
Armie wags his tail.This thing has a name now!That means he’s sticking around.  
  
“Calm, Armie.”  
  
Armie jumps up on the couch.  
  
“Oh, Armie, please, don’t scare him.”  
  
Armie leans forward and kisses the side of Timo’s face.That should let him know not to be scared, he thinks.  
  
But Timo doesn’t seem to get the message.He curls up into an even tighter ball.Armie doesn’t understand; he was weary when Luca first adopted him, scared, even, but he was never timid and skittish like this.He let out barks that more like screams, didn’t let anyone touch him, bit him a few times.But Luca was patient, kind, nothing like his first owner, and eventually, Armie came around.  
  
He wonders what happened to Timo.Maybe nothing.Maybe these weird-puppies are just like this.Maybe something in their pointy ears and triangular noses makes them scared.  
  
Armie gives him another kiss, and he lets out the strangest sound Armie has ever heard.It’s not a bark.It’s different, a bit more whiny.It’s high pitched, so quiet it’s barely audible.Armie doesn’t know what it means, but it’s adorable.  
  
Luca clearly thinks it’s adorable too, because he coos and scratched Timo’s head.Timo burrows further into his lap.  
  
Armie gets the message.He’s scared.He’s tiny, and new to this giant house, and it all must be a bit overwhelming.He lies down and tries very hard to keep still, to not scare him further.  
  
After a few minutes of Luca petting Timo and whispering to him in Italian, he gently places him on the ground.Timo takes a few hesitant steps forward, sniffing the air inquisitively.Then, he walks back over to Luca and curls up on top of his foot.

“You don’t want to look around?” Luca asks.

Timo looks up at the sound of the voice, stares.Armie wants to scream at him, _look around look around look around I can show you around look around look around look around._

“Hmm,” Luca says, and picks Timo back up.He looks at Armie, scratches his ear.“A bit less independent than you were when I first got you, isn’t he?I guess he’s a bit younger than you were.I can’t believe he trusts humans, though.”

Armie noses at Luca’s lap, trying to get Luca to give Timo to him.This seems unlikely.

Eventually, Luca gets Timo back on the ground, and starts to walk around.Overly slowly, letting Timo keep up.Armie watches them both from afar, figuring that he should keep his distance.Weird-puppy is scared.

When they’re walking through the kitchen, Timo hides underneath the stove.Crawls to the back, past where Luca can’t reach him.

“No, come on, you can’t go under there.You have to get out.”Luca’s tone is gently scolding--he’s smiling as he says everything. “I know you’re tiny, you can fit.You still can’t go under there, it’s unsafe, even though it’s warm.Come on out, tesoro.”

Timo doesn’t move.Armie decides that he needs to step in.He trots over, and sticks his nose under the stove.That’s all he can fit under there. _You have to come out from there,_ he tells Timo. _You can’t stay there._

Timo doesn’t move, doesn’t give any indication that he understands.Maybe these weird-puppies speak a different language from dogs.He’ll have to ask around the neighborhood. 

Luca walks away from the stove, takes a seat at the table.Armie gets what he’s trying to do, joins him.It’s not long before Timo comes out, whining with little high-pitched cries until he finds them.Then, he nips at Luca’s ankle.Ignores Armie.This is insulting.

Eventually, Timo falls asleep, but he doesn’t leave Luca’s side.He’s clingy, afraid.Armie just wants him to acknowledge him so he can tell him that he’s safe, that no animals get hurt here, that he can relax.That whatever happened to him before this won’t happen again.But Timo won’t even look him in the eye.

At dinner, Timo jumps up on the table and tries to eat Luca’s food.Luca laughs, grabs him from the table and puts him back on the ground.But Timo just jumps right back up.This continues for a little while until Luca just feeds Timo a little bit of his food.

This would have _never_ flied with Armie.Not even when he was a puppy.

After dinner, Luca brings Timo into this tiny room connecting the dining room and the kitchen.Armie slept there when he was a puppy, in a crate.Now he sleeps in Luca’s room, but he had to learn to be by himself, first.He guesses the same thing has to happen with Timo.

But instead of a crate, he gets a basket filled with blankets.Luca tucks him in, shuts the lights off, closes the door.Timo immediately begins to whine.Luca starts to head up the stairs, and when Armie doesn’t follow, he turns around.“Aren’t you coming?”

Armie doesn’t move.

“Alright, then,” Luca says, and disappears to his bedroom.

Armie waits by the door, listens to Timo’s cries.They sound different from the whining sounds he made when he was searching for them, they sound... distressed.Sad.Scared.Armie whines back at him to let him know that someone is there, but the sad, whining noises don’t stop.They just get louder, more frequent, more strained.

This isn’t okay.Armie begins to bark, trying to get Luca’s attention.It takes a little while, but eventually Luca returns, bleary-eyed and confused.

“What?” he asks.

Armie noses at the crack between the door and the frame.Timo meows.Meows again.It sounds pained.

“Oh.”Luca opens the door, and Timo sprints out the door, and directly into Armie.He looks up at him, stares for a second, and cowers.He looks up at Luca, meows.

Luca sighs.“Alright, fine.You can be with me and Armie tonight. Just tonight.”He scoops Timo up, holds him in one hand, and makes his way back to the bedroom.

Armie trots behind them. _I saved you,_ he tells Timo. _I got you out of there._

But Timo doesn’t reply.

Armie normally sleeps at the end of Luca’s bed, on the opposite corner from him so that he can spread out.He’s excited that Timo will be here tonight too.He likes this new weird-puppy, even if he’s tiny and doesn’t talk.He likes him because Luca likes him, and Luca normally has good taste.He takes in the rescues who are often the most difficult cases, but he always seems to be able to tell when they’re sweet underneath.And Timo is sweet alright, that’s plain to see.

Timo curls up by Luca’s neck, ignoring Armie.Falls asleep quick.Armie sighs.Falls asleep too.


	2. Chapter 2

Armie’s nighttime routine consists of falling asleep in Luca’s bed, waking up at two am, jumping off the bed and running around the room, and then whining for Luca to put him back on the bed so he can go back to sleep.Luca puts up with this, so Armie doesn’t see any reason to stop.Except when he wakes up tonight, Timo is also awake.

He’s shivering a bit, burrowing between the two pillows.He’s cold. _This is a perfect opportunity to become friends,_ Armie thinks, and walks over to him.

Timo goes completely still.Stiff.Burrows further into the pillow.

_I won’t hurt you,_ Armie says, _I just want you to be warm._

Timo doesn’t move.Armie can’t figure out if he can’t understand what he’s saying, or if he’s just incapable of responding.Whatever it is, it’s frustrating.He presses his nose against Timo’s side, trying to show that he’s nice and gentle and the last thing on Earth that Timo needs to be afraid of. 

Timo arches his back, flattens his ears against his head, opens his mouth, and hisses.It’s quiet, and a little pathetic, but Armie gets the message.

 He returns to his corner of the bed and falls back asleep.

__

 

The next day, Armie decides he needs to find out more about this weird-puppy.When Luca lets him out, he walks down the street and tries to find Elizabeth.She’s a show-dog, which means that she sees a lot and would probably knows about these things.It also means that she’s perpetually annoyed because she’s tired from learning how to juggle flaming bowling pins on her legs, or something equally ridiculous.

He used to like her, back when they were both puppies. The dog shows made her weird, but she’s still worth playing with, kind of.

She’s lying out in her front yard when he finds her.

_Hi,_ he says.

_Hi._

_I kinda need your help with something._

_Ugh.What?_

_Luca got a new puppy.But he’s weird, and he doesn’t talk.Could you come over and tell me why he’s so weird?_

She sighs, looks around. _Well, I guess I’ve got nothing better to do._

They find Timo standing by the window, staring at them.Luca had tried to get him to go outside that day, but Timo wouldn’t go.

_He’s not a weird-puppy.He’s a cat._

_A what?_

_They’re totally different animals.Like deer, or bears, or whatever._

_But he’s inside the house._

_Well, they’re kind of like dogs in that sense.But they’re different._

_Oh._

_He’s a kitten,_ Liz says, her voice softening. _He’s so small._

_His name is Timo._

_Timo,_ she coos.This is nicer than he’s seen her be in years.

_He doesn’t talk.Do cats speak a different language than dogs?_

_No.Not the ones that I’ve met.He’s a rescue, isn’t he?Maybe something happened to his throat.Does he meow?_

_Does he what?_

_Like, does he make any noises?To communicate with Luca?_

Y _eah, he does._

_Then I don’t know what’s up with that.Do you know what happened to him?_

_What_ happened _to him?_  

_Yeah.I mean, he’s clearly scared to death.And Luca always takes in the fuck-ups, so something must have happened to him._

_Timo isn’t a fuck-up.He’s nice._

_Whatever.Let me know if he ever talks._

She walks away.When Luca looks back through the window, Timo is still staring at him.

__

_Why don’t you talk?_ Armie asks Timo after Luca lets him back inside.

Timo stares.

_Do you understand what I’m saying?_

Timo blinks. 

_Can you not hear me?Are you deaf?_

Timo’s tail twitches.

_Why won’t you be my friend?_

Timo looks up at Luca, whines until he picks him up and puts him on his lap.Timo doesn’t like to be alone, Armie’s picked up that much.

__

_Why won’t he be my friend?_ Armie asks Elizabeth.

_Maybe he doesn’t like you._

Armie sighs.Elizabeth’s snappishness often eclipses her worldliness, rendering most of her advice unhelpful.He sort of feels bad for her--her owner has given her some ridiculous haircut to make her more _presentable_ for the next show.It’s probably a bit embarrassing.

He finds Nick, asks him the same question.

_He’s probably scared of you._

_Probably.I don’t know how to make him relax, though._

_Just give him time._

_Why doesn’t he talk?_

_Maybe he doesn’t know how._  

Armie thinks about that.Why wouldn’t he know how?Everyone knows how, by the time their old enough to be brought home.Everyone’s heard enough english from humans to know english words, and has had enough exposure to other animals to know how to speak it. 

Maybe he doesn’t know how. 

Maybe nobody has ever spoken to him.

__

Luca’s _just for tonight_ policy doesn’t seem very strict, because he lets Timo sleep in the bed the next night, and the night after that.And the night after that.

“It’s hard not to spoil him,” Armie hears Luca say on the phone.“He’s so sweet.And after everything that’s happened to him, I think he deserves to be spoiled a little bit.”

Luca spoiled Armie when he was a puppy.Gave him extra treats, took off work to stay home with him.Didn’t get mad when Armie bit his hand so hard that it bled; understood that Armie was just scared.Only put him in his crate to sleep, didn’t keep him in there all day everyday like his previous owner did.Never once hit him.And, eventually, Armie learned to relax.Learned to be sweet, to give and receive affection.To trust, to have fun.Maybe he’s trying to do the same thing with Timo.

(But Timo has never been violent.Timo doesn’t have any _problems._ Timo doesn’t need to be fixed like Armie did.)

Things aren’t perfect.Armie still has nightmares, sometimes.Almost always.They wake him up.

When he wakes, he sees Timo.Timo, who is staring at him, but not with fear.With something else.And he’s shivering.Cold, again.

Armie wants to approach him, wants to curl around him, warm him up.But he knows better than to try that.He stays completely still, places his chin down on the blankets.Tries to look unassuming.

Slowly, carefully, Timo gets up and walks over to him.Sniffs his face a little bit.Crawls underneath the flap of his ear and curls up there.

It takes a few minutes, but eventually he stops shaking, and stops purring.They both fall asleep.Armie doesn’t have anymore nightmares that night.


	3. Chapter 3

Since Timo is now officially Armie’s New Best Friend (sorry, Nick), Armie decides that he loves him unconditionally.Meaning that even if Timo never talks, they’re still best friends.

 

But he does want to figure out this talking situation.

 

He figures it might help Timo to have another cat to hang out with.So he asks Elizabeth if she knows of any.

 

_All the cats on this street are indoor.But there’s an outdoor cat a few streets down.Her name is Shelly, I think._

 

Armie locates her.Her name is not Shelly, it’s Saoirse, and she is super excited to meet Timo.She talks a _lot,_ so maybe that’ll help Timo figure it out.She follows him back to the house.

 

The house has a dog door, and Timo is allowed outside, but he’s never gone outside before.On more than one occasion, Luca and Armie have tried to coax him into going outside, but Timo wouldn’t budge.Once, Luca held him as he walked outside, trying to help him understand that he was allowed to do this, that it was safe, but Timo cried and scratched and squirmed until Luca brought him inside.

 

He does, however, like the sun, so he lies by the window and naps there.Armie paws at the glass from outside to wake him.

 

Timo wakes up slow, bleary-eyed and sluggish.He yawns, then slowly stands up, slipping a little. He’s still a bit clumsy.He blinks at them.

 

_Come outside,_ Armie says. _I have someone here to see you._

 

Timo stares.Armie wishes he’d at least give some sort of indication that he’s understood him, that he’s even heard him.

 

_Come outside.There’s a cat._

 

Still nothing.

 

Armie noses at the window, then at the ground.

 

Timo walks over to the dog door.Mission successful.

 

Armie opens it for him, since Timo is too small to open it himself.He holds it open, but Timo doesn’t walk through.

 

_Come on._

 

Timo doesn’t move.

 

_What’s wrong with him?_ Saoirse asks.

 

Armie sighs. _He’s scared of the outside._

 

_I can talk to him through the window._

 

Back to the window.Timo back up on the windowsill, Saorise jumping up on the ledge.They press their noses together against the glass.Timo’s ears perk up, his tail vertical and vibrating.

 

Then, suddenly, Timo jumps down.Armie stills.Is Timo not as happy as this as he seemed?He is impossible to understand.

 

Then, there’s a slight nudge at the dog door.Oh.Oh!Armie runs over to open it for Timo.

 

Timo takes slow and hesitant steps outside, shivering in the wind and going stiff.He stays close to the door, barely moving.But he’s outside!Armie takes a victory lap around the front yard.

 

When he comes back, it’s clear Timo is curious about Saoirse.She comes over, and they sniff each other.

 

_Hey, I’m Saoirse!_ Saoirse says.

 

Timo sniffs her asshole.

 

_She looks like you!_ Armie says.She doesn’t, not really.Her fur is straight and sandy blonde, but they both have those same pointy ears because they’re both _cats._ Armie found a cat for Timo.Now he has a friend and will understand what friends are and Armie can be his friend too.

 

Timo seems to take to Saoirse, but he’s tense, still, pressed against door.It’s clear he wants to go back inside, but that he dosen’t want to leave them.

 

_Are you okay?_ Saoirse asks.

 

Timo sniffs her.

 

_It’s okay,_ she says. _It’s just us, we won’t hurt you._

 

But Saoirse doesn’t get it.Saoirse doesn’t understand like Armie does--Timo isn’t scared of her, he’s scared of being outside.She’s the only thing holding him out there.

 

_Saoirse’s a cat,_ Armie says. _You’re a cat too._

 

Timo says nothing.This is to be expected, at this point.

 

_I’m the only outdoor cat in the area,_ Saoirse says. _It’s a hard life.I’m glad you’re here now._

 

_I brought you a friend so that you’ll talk,_ Armie says.

 

Nothing.

 

_Do you have lungs?_

 

Timo meows.Okay, that’s a start.

 

_Nice!_ Saoirse says. _Fuck yeah, those are lungs!_

 

Timo comes closer, then slowly lifts up his paw and swats her softly with it.Saoirse swats him back, much less softly.Timo swats again.This continues until they’re both slapping each other in the face repeatedly.

 

_What?What is this?_ Armie yells. _You’re supposed to be friends!_

 

Saoirse leaps on top of Timmy and they start wrestling, rolling around on the ground.Armie runs around the two of them in a circle, barking.She is bullying Timo; it’s up to Armie to put a stop to it.

 

_We’re playing!_ Saoirse says.

 

_This is violence,_ Armie insists.

 

_It’s fun!He likes it!_

 

Armie takes a look at Timmy.He’s lying on his back his entire stomach exposed.His ears forward, and he’s purring.

 

Perhaps Armie overreacted.But someone needs to look after this tiny weird-puppy with no lungs.

 

Saoirse and Timo play for a little while longer.  But, eventually, Timo decides he's had enough and falls asleep on the grass.  Armie and Saoirse stare at him for a few minutes, until Luca comes out and brings him in, whispering, "you went outside!  I'm so proud of you."


	4. Chapter 4

There is a thunderstorm.This is, for a lack of a better term, absolute hell for all dogs on planet Earth.But especially, Armie thinks, for himself.

 

It doesn’t help that Timo is asleep on the windowsill (the most dangerous spot!) as if nothing is happening.

 

Armie curls up in the corner of the room, pressing his body against the wall, stuck between squeezing his eyes shut and keeping them as wide open as possible to make sure that the thunder doesn’t kill Timo.He watches Timo carefully, trying to summon up the courage to wake him up and get him down from there.But he can’t unstick his body from the wall.

 

Thunder cracks.Armie whimpers.Where is Luca?And how is Timo sleeping through this?

 

Armie stands there, watching the sky, watching Timo, shaking, until there’s a particularly loud crack of thunder, and it’s the last straw.It’s time to be brave.

 

Armie scurries over to Timo, puts his entire body in his mouth, and carries him away from the windowsill and to the corner.He hears a muffled meow after a moment, so he releases Timo from his mouth and puts him by his stomach, curling up around him.

 

_You were in danger,_ Armie explains. _And you’re very small.I needed to make sure the thunder didn’t hurt you._

 

Timo stares at him.Armie likes the way he feels enveloping Timo, keeping him safe.Keeping him warm; he’s always cold.And his fur is very soft.

 

But it’s not enough to dissipate the fear of the thunderstorm.He’s still shaking, his ears flattened against his head.Where is Luca?They have a thunderstorm protocol, and he is not following it.

 

Another crack of thunder. Armie whimpers again.Timo looks at Armie, at the storm. Back at Armie, back at the storm.Then he starts to wiggle out of Armie’s embrace.

 

_What are you doing?_ Armie asks. _Don’t move!_

 

But Timo cannot be detained.He climbs away from Armie, slipping a few times, and then walks back over to the window.He arches his back, flattens his ears against his skull, raises his tail straight up, stares at the storm, and hisses.

 

He is going to fight the thunder.

 

_Timo, no._

 

But Timo just hisses again.He is so brave.

 

Suddenly, Luca walks in. Thank God.He looks at Armie, scratches his ear for a moment, murmuring, “It’s okay, it’ll be okay.”Then he turns to Timo, who is still gearing up to battle the sky.

 

“Are you protecting Armie from the storm?” Luca asks, his voice going up an octave.He pets the top of Timo’s head, and Timo preens.“You’re so brave.Such a courageous kitten.”

 

Armie whimpers.

 

“Alright, let’s get you two to safety,” Luca says.He lifts Armie up, cradling him like he did when he was a puppy, even though he’s definitely too big for it now.He starts to make his way out of the room, but stops when Timo meows.He turns back at him.“I’ll come get you in a second.”

 

Timo meows again, but louder and longer.

 

Luca laughs.“Just one second.”

 

Now Timo’s meow sounds more like a growl.

 

“Alright, alright. Fine.”He leans down and picks up Timo with just one hand, nearly dropping Armie in the process, and nestles him between his elbow and Armie’s chest.“But you’re gonna have to be nice to Armie while I carry you two.”

 

Luca takes them up to the bedroom and places them both on the bed. He wraps Armie in a blanket and sits next to him, lets Armie rest his chin on his lap.Gently strokes the top of his head.Timo whines, swatting Luca’s foot for attention, so Luca lifts him up and sets him down on his lap.Armie tries to lick his face, but Timo hisses.

 

“Be nice to him,” Luca says.

 

Timo curls up on Luca's lap and begins to snore.Armie sighs, closes his eyes, tries to stop being scared.He’s out within a few minutes.

 

He wakes up a few hours later to the sound of Luca’s voice on the phone.All three of them are still in the same spot.

 

“No, he’s doing better,” Luca says, gently placing his fingers on top of Timo.“He seems much healthier than he did when I first saw him.He hasn’t grown very much, though... I don’t know.Can that type of thing... stunt him?”

 

A long pause.

 

“I mean, he’s a complete lap kitten.Always wants attention.It’s sweet, but... I don’t know. He gets very upset when he’s left alone.It’s like he remembers--can cats remember things like that?If it happens when they’re so young?”  
  
A pause.

 

“Armie’s totally in love with him.Timo is... still deciding.He’ll come around.He’s just scared, I think. Armie’s much bigger than him..... Yes, he’s still adjusting.He still seems very fearful sometimes.I think he just needs some time to get used to being in an environment where people love him, you know?Just like Armie did.”

 

Armie lifts his head up at the sound of his name.Luca smiles at him and scratches behind his ears.

 

“No, I agree.He’s such a sweetheart, and so pretty.I don’t know why anyone would want to abandon him, he’s... the perfect kitten.And in the snow... Well, he’s here now, at least.”

 

Armie drops his head against Luca’s leg again and stares at Timo, who is sleeping peacefully in Luca’s lap.He looks at his little whiskers, the orange fur contrasting against the brown, the curls.Someone left him out in the snow?

 

He closes his eyes, and tries not to think about how cold Timo always is.How long he was out there for before someone found him.How scared he must have been.He tries not to think about Timo, alone, with no one looking after him.With no one who wants him.

 

Armie doesn’t understand how someone could do that to Timo.He understands how someone could do it to him, but not to Timo.Armie was angry, violent, erratic.Timo’s just sweet.

 

Armie looks at Luca’s thumb, gently stroking the top of Timo’s head.The blanket that covers all three of them.The small smile on Luca’s face as he looks down at the two of them.

 

They’re here now.They’re safe.They’re warm.


	5. Chapter 5

Armie goes over to Elizabeth’s yard the next day to let her know the news.

_Timo’s first owner left him out in the snow._

Elizabeth sighs.Stares at the grass. _Sometimes, you have to kill people._

This does not seem like a viable course of action, but Armie admires her rage. He goes to find Nick, to see what he has to say.

_Someone left him out in the snow,_ Armie says.

_The tiny kitten?_ Nick asks.

_Yes._

_You need to find out more._

He does need to find out more.But unfortunately, dogs cannot speak to humans, and Timo can’t speak at all.So he’ll just need to wait it out.

In the two weeks that Luca has had Timo, he has accumulated approximately three million cat toys.When people come over and ask about them, Luca just shrugs and says, “he deserves them.”

The thing is, Timo doesn’t seem remotely interested in any of these toys.Instead, he’s interested in:

  1. Dirty socks
  2. Shoelaces
  3. Couch cushions and pillows
  4. The stove
  5. Saoirse
  6. Armie’s ear, but only when he stays very still
  7. Plastic
  8. Screaming whenever there isn’t anyone paying attention to him
  9. Taking naps, especially on Luca’s lap



Luca is heartbroken that Timo isn’t taking to any of his toys (he confessed this to Armie during his two am Wakefulness Session) so he just keeps buying more.Little mouses.Stuffed shapes with bells.Feathers on the ends of string.Even the classic tinfoil ball.But nothing sticks.  
  
That is, until Timo sees Armie with his stuffed monkey, named Monkey.He has had monkey since the day Luca took him home.Monkey no longer has eyes or most of his stuffing, but Armie still loves him.  
  
(Although, he must admit, that when he first met Timo, he thought that a tiny kitten might be just as good as a stuffed monkey.But Monkey doesn’t hiss at him, and Armie can rip out Monkey’s insides without killing him.  
  
So they serve different purposes.)  
  
Armie has been chewing on Monkey’s ear for the past ten minutes, and Timo has been staring for the past ten minutes.Armie puts it down on the couch, stare back at Timo.Timo jumps up on the couch.A big jump for someone so tiny!Armie wags his tail; Timo is coming to sit with him.He finally wants to be friends.  
  
But instead, Timo just takes Monkey and walks to the other side of the couch and starts to lick him.  
  
Armie sighs.Walks over to him, very slowly and carefully, trying not to scare me. _Excuse me,_ he says. _That is my son.Please give him back._  
  
Timo just keeps licking.  
  
 _He’s my monkey, and I need him._  
  
Nothing.  
  
 _He’s MY monkey.You have your baby mice, I have my baby Monkey.Please give me him._  
  
Timo is not even acknowledging.  
  
 _Okay, I’ve asked nicely._ Armie leans forward and bites Monkey, tries to pull him away from Timo without knocking him.But Timo will not budge, and he hangs on to Monkey tight at Armie pulls him.  
  
 _Let go!_ Armie demands.  
  
Timo hisses.  
  
Armie tries to take Monkey again, but Timo takes him in his mouth and runs.If Armie weren’t so annoyed, he’d be impressed--Monkey is even bigger than Timo.  
  
Armie has no choice but to chase Timo, which is a challenge.Armie is much faster, but Timo is more agile, and he can change direction without tripping at all. _Give him back!_ Armie roars.  
  
Timo goes underneath the stove, bringing Monkey with him.Armie can’t fit under there, and Timo isn’t responding to words so Armie resorts to barking.Repeatedly.  
  
Timo shuffles backwards, cowering into the corner with Monkey.  
  
 _Come out and give him back!_ Armie says, and keeps barking.  
  
After a few moments, Luca walks into the kitchen and sees Armie barking. He looks underneath the stove and sees Timo down there, and then he turns to Armie.It’s the first time Armie’s seen him look angry.  
  
“Stop that!” he yells.“Do not bark at him!That is not okay!”  
  
Armie whimpers.  
  
“Bad!Be nice to him!”  
  
Armie walks over to the corner of the room and curls up.Luca has never yelled at him like that before.No one’s yelled at him before, not since his first owner.  
  
Luca reaches under the stove and pulls Timo out.Timo is shaking.Luca scoops him up and holds him, gently stroking his fur.“You’re okay.It’s okay.I know, Armie was mean.He’s so mean.It’s okay.”  
  
Armie whimpers.He is not _mean._ He’s nice to Timo all the time, and all he gets in return is Timo hissing at him and refusing to speak and stealing Monkey.Then, when he finally stands up for himself, he gets in trouble.  
  
Luca has never said anything bad about him before.Maybe he likes Timo better than him.  
  
Luca looks under the stove again and grabs monkey.He looks at Timo.“Did you take this?This is Armie’s baby.”  
  
Timo nuzzles into Luca’s palm.  
  
“You can’t take this, okay?It’s not yours.”  
  
Timo bites Luca’s sock, starts pulling at it.  
  
“Okay, you can have my sock,” Luca laughs, pulling it off.  
  
With Timo now immersed in sock heaven, Luca brings Monkey over to Armie.He sits down next to him and pets his head.“I’m sorry I yelled at you.But you can’t bark at him like that, okay?He’s scared enough as is.”  
  
Armie grabs Monkey and chews at his face.  
  
“You want to be friends, right?So you have to be nice.I know he doesn’t seem like he likes you right now, but he’s just scared.He’ll come around, okay?He just needs time.”  
  
Armie lays his head on Luca’s knee and whines.He wants Timo to be his friend now.  
  
“I know, love,” Luca says.“Just give him some time.I wouldn’t have gotten him if I didn’t know that you too would love each other.You’re what each other needs.”


	6. Chapter 6

That night, when all three of them lie in bed, Armie apologizes to Timo.

 

_ I’m sorry for chasing you under the stove and barking at you.  I didn’t mean to scare you. _

 

Timo hesitantly walks forward and crawls underneath Armie’s ear, so maybe he’s forgiven.  He shivers for a bit, but after he warms up, he starts to purr.

 

After a few moments, Armie tacks on,  _ Please don’t take Monkey again. _

 

Timo snores.

 

***

The next morning, Timo is licking Monkey again.  Armie takes him away. Timo crawls onto Luca’s foot and lies down.

 

Two days later, Timo is sleeping with his arms wrapped around Monkey.  Armie takes him away and replaces him with a sock. Timo doesn’t wake up.

 

The day after that, Timo is massaging Monkey while purring.  Armie takes him away after a slight scuffle and hides him.

 

The next day, Timo walks around the house and cries.  It’s clear what he’s looking for.

 

Armie sighs.  Wishes that Timo would love him as much as he loved Monkey.

 

But Monkey was a good friend to Armie when he first arrived, and maybe Timo needs a friend, too.  Monkey makes Timo so happy, and Armie likes it better than Timo is happy.

 

So he takes Monkey out of his hiding place (the top stair, where Timo cannot get to without help) and brings him over to Timo.

 

_ I have given it a lot of thought,  _ Armie says.   _ And Monkey seems to make you happy, so maybe he can be friends with both of us.  I am willing to share him with you, because I love you. _

 

Timo walks over to Armie and curls up in his stomach.  He rests his head on Monkey’s stomach, and the three of them all lie together.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, i know that this is super short, but I feel like it doesn't make sense to include in this chapter what happens next. But i'll literally be posting the next chapter tonight, so don't worry


	7. Chapter 7

Timo becomes considerably friendlier, but only in the presence of Monkey.  When the three of them watch movies with Luca at night, Timo will let Armie sit next to him, Monkey lodged in between them.  Timo likes to spoon Monkey, and Armie curls around the two of them. Sometimes, he’ll kiss Timo’s face, and Timo usually puts up with it.

 

Things are going well, and Armie hasn’t messed up.  (Except for once. Armie only messed up once, when he was wagging his tail too hard and it hit Timo and knocked him over.  Timo meowed and crawled onto Luca’s lap, taking Monkey with him, even as Armie apologized. It was an  _ accident. _ )

 

The thing is, Timo is still sort of an asshole to Armie when Monkey isn’t around.  He decides to ask Liz about it--she seems to have the answers on these things.

 

_ Why is he mean?  _ Armie asks.

 

_ Because he has psychological trauma,  _ Liz says.

 

Armie thinks that Liz might have psychological trauma from all those dog shows, but he thinks it’s probably best to keep that to himself.

 

_ But he’s nice to everyone else besides me,  _ Armie says.

 

_ Because he’s scared of you. _

 

_ But I’m so nice to him. _

 

_ He is tiny and you are enormous.  Is this really that difficult to understand? _

 

Armie thinks about it.   _ But Luca is bigger than me. _

 

_ Luca doesn’t run at him at full speed with his teeth bared. _

 

_ Should I stop doing that? _

 

_ Yes.  Oh my god. _

 

_ But how come it’s okay when Saoirse does it? _

 

_ Because she is also small! _

 

This is groundbreaking information.  No more running at Timo, even when Timo himself is running.

 

But even with that, Timo really only seems interested in Armie’s ear.  And only when he’s cold. His ear is essentially a heated blanket for Timo, and Armie is essentially a space heater.

 

This is only slightly insulting.  At least now he knows he has good ears.

 

***

There comes a time, in every pet’s life, where the pet is left home alone.  For Timo, this time is three weeks after he comes home, Luca  _ finally  _ leaves the house for a few hours.

 

This normally would be an extremely upsetting experience for Armie.  But today, he has to keep it together. He has to be strong for Timo, because it seems like about to have a breakdown.

 

Timo sprints around the house, meowing loudly.  He looks everywhere. The living room. The kitchen.  The pantry. This is all very strange, because he definitely saw Luca leave.  Luca sat down, but Timo on his lap, hugged him for fifteen minutes, kissed his forehead, said he’d  be back very soon, and then walked out of the door. Timo was definitely there for all of this.

 

Eventually, Timo just sits by the window and cries.

 

_ He’s coming back,  _ Armie says.   _ He always comes back. _

 

Timo meows.

 

_ He is.  He always comes back.  I know that your first owner--Luca always comes back. _

 

Timo lies down on the window still.  Stares. Whimpers.

 

_ If you stare out the window, it’ll just make it go by slower.  Come down. _

 

But Timo won’t stop staring out the window.

 

_ He’s going to come back,  _ Armie says.  He walks over to Timo and noses at him.   _ Come on.  Come down.  You’re making it worse. _

 

Timo sighs and jumps down.  He followed the instruction, Armie realizes.  It means--unless it’s just a coincidence. But it can’t be a coincidence.  Timo understood him. Timo can understand words.

 

_ You knew what I said? _ __   
  


Timo blinks.

 

_ Oh my god.  Oh my god. Oh my god.   _ Armie starts sprinting around the room.  This is the best news of all time. He can’t stop running.

 

But he turns around, looks at Timo, and Timo is upset again.  He’s curled up in the corner, meowing. Armie takes a deep breath.  Timo needs love and affection; Armie is full of that.

 

_ It’s going to be okay.  He’s going to be come back, because he loves you, and he loves me.  And also because he lives here. _

 

Timo makes a sound, strange and small and barely audible.  It’s not a meow.

 

_ What? _

 

Again, the sound.

 

Armie lies down, brings his ear close to Timo’s mouth.   Timo loves his ear; this should work.

 

And then, very quietly, mumbled:  _ Armie. _

 

_ Oh my god,  _ Armie says,  _ that’s me!  I’m Armie! _

 

Timo blinks, slowly.

 

_ You can speak! _

 

He runs again.  Timo can speak! Timo can speak!  They’re going to have so many conversations!  And Timo will say Armie’s name in all of them!

 

He looks back at Timo, who is looking very sad again.  Armie needs to calm down to comfort Timo. But how can Timo do something so exciting and then expect Armie to be calm?  Ridiculous.

 

Still, he calms down and sits down next to Timo.   _ Are you still scared? _

 

Timo sort of peeps.  Armie leans closer, listens to Timo say,  _ yeah. _

 

Holy fuck.  More words.

 

_ Okay, Luca is going to come back.  He always comes back. But I agree that it is lonely when he leaves.  Normally, it is best to take a nap. Do you want to take a nap with me? _

 

Timo gives a very tiny nod.

 

_ Okay, let’s nap.   _ Then, Armie picks Timo up in his mouth and brings him over to the dog bed.  They lie down together, and Timo nuzzles into Armie’s neck. He begins to purr.

 

_ Have you known how to talk this whole time?   _ Armie asks.

 

But Timo is already asleep.

 

***

Armie wakes up to Luca crouching over him and Timo, petting his stomach and cooing.  He looks down at Timo, who is also waking up, in that slow, kitten way he does, where his eyes open and close a few times before he’s really awake.

 

“Such good boys, napping together, so cute,” Luca says, one hand on each of them.  He looks up at Armie. “Were you comforting Timo while I was gone? So sweet, you’re the best dog in the world!”  He turns to Timo. “And you! Being so nice to Armie! I love you so much!”   
  


Timo stands up and stretches, shaking with a yawn.  Then he meows, loud and long.

 

“Oh, I missed you, too,” Luca says, rubbing his knuckle in the space between Timo’s eyes.

 

Timo starts to paw at the hem of Luca’s pants. Then, without Armie even realizing what’s going on, Timo is climbing up Luca’s pants, up his shirt, until Luca is cradling him against his chest.  He meows.

 

_ How did you do that?  _ Armie asks.   _ I want to climb things.  How did you do that? _ __   
  


But Timo is too busy preening under Luca’s attention.

 

“I missed you,” Luca says softly.  “I’m sorry for leaving. But I bought you a present!”  He carries Timo over to the counter and sets him down. On the counter is a small bag, which Luca opens, pulling out a small, stuffed, elephant.  Timo sniffs it curiously and nibbles its ear.

 

“A new friend for you,” Luca says.  “So you can stop stealing Monkey from Armie.”

 

_ Excuse me,  _ Armie says.   _ Timo and I share custody of Monkey. _

 

Luca doesn’t hear him.

 

Timo pushes elephant off the counter, then turns to Luca and stares.  Luca picks elephant off the floor. Timo pushes him off again. Luca picks him back up. Timo pushes him off.

 

“You are such a spoiled brat,” Luca says, but he’s smiling.  He picks Elephant back up and sets him down. “Okay, that’s the last time I’m doing that. If you knock him down again, I’m not picking him back up.”

 

Timo pushes elephant off the counter.

 

Luca throws his hands up and walks away.

 

Armie howls.  Why would Luca leave Timo up there? He’s far too small to get down himself, he’ll be stuck—

 

Timo jumps off the counter, giving Armie a minor heart attack, and then landing on his feet.

 

_ Oh my god.  Timo! I had no idea you were so dexterous!  That was such a big jump! _

 

He runs over to Timo and begins to lick him all over.   _ That was incredible!  But so dangerous. Please never do it again or I’ll start crying. _

 

_ Armie,  _ Timo says.  It sounds more like a huff this time.

 

_ Okay, okay, fine, I’ll back off.   _ Armie returns back to his bed.

 

Timo puts Elephant—who is bigger than Timo— in his mouth and begins to drag it across the floor towards Armie’s bed.  He noses it towards Armie and looks at him expectantly.

 

_ You want to share Elephant? _

 

Timo gives a tiny nod.

 

_ Thank you!  I love her and will cherish her for all of my life. _

 

Timo runs away to the corner of the room, where Monkey lies, ignored.  He brings him over as well. Armie puts both of them up by his face.

 

Timo nuzzles in there, curled up against Armie’s neck, wedged between the two babies. He digs his claws into Monkey, closes his eyes, and purrs.


End file.
